Sperry: Respect the power of the Grizzly Bear

After seeing Mr. Trigg’s response to the caption under Richard Seeley’s “Grizzly in the Grass” I felt I had to respond. Mr. Trigg, people are on a grizzly bear’s menu. Wanting to learn as much as I could, I have read extensively about the wonderful animal that is the grizzly bear. I have also taken classes in Yellowstone where I spent multiple days camping and hiking in grizzly bear country. I have soloed overnight in grizzly country.

Depending on the situation, grizzly bears will stalk, attack and yes, quite possibly consume people. They are after all, wild animals. There are documented incidents, though they are rare. One thing, grizzly behavior is somewhat predictable and if certain rules are followed when one is in grizzly habitat, people and grizzlies can exist together. Grizzly bears are not wanton killers, but they are very dangerous and deserve our utmost respect. My instructor during one of the Yellowstone classes put it perfectly on the last day of the class. He said if you treat the grizzly bear and where they live with respect, humility, and awe, you’ll be fine.

I suggest reading Doug Peacock’s “Grizzly Years”, Scott McMillion’s “Mark of the Grizzly”, Thomas McNamee’s “The Grizzly Bear”, and Jack Olsen’s “Night of the Grizzly” if you want some really good insight into what makes a grizzly bear tick.